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on threat of war of defensive posts at both these places, the garrison being furnished by Frontier Police. Such posts would check raids across the frontier and be in a position to give early information of an attack in force. In the face of an attack of this nature they should be instructed to fall back slowly, hanging on to the enemy and making certain by which route his main advance was being directed.

In connection with the land defence of Sierra Leone a definite project should be prepared, and included in full detail in the Defence Scheme, under the instructions to the officer who will be responsible for carrying it out, for the cutting immediately on the declaration of war of the French land telegraph line from Konakri to Farana at the point where it passes near the Sierra Leone territory.

16. Page 16, paragraph 10.—The arrangements to be made for removing boats from Port Lokko should also be included under the instructions to the officer responsible for carrying them out.

CHAPTER III.

17. Page 19, paragraph 41.—It is presumed that, in addition to placing Colonial troops under the Army Act when war preparations are made, the Proclamation under Clause 2, Section 189 of the Army Act will be made with regard to the Imperial troops, as suggested in paragraph 15 of the Colonial Defence Committee's Remarks

No. 150 R.

It is not clear why in line 7 of this paragraph four days are stated as the time in which all arrangements for mobilization would have to be completed, while in the remainder of the paragraph the work is divided into three days.

18. Page 24, paragraph 44.--The artillery responsibilities of the West India battalion under the Scheme are excessive. Besides seventy-one men placed under the orders of the O.C.R.A., the battalion is allotted six 9-pr. and six 7-pr. guns This unsatisfactory condition will in part disappear when the approved increase in the artillery garrison has been carried out. The formation of a volunteer artillery corps proposed by the Colony in 1896 would relieve the infantry of their work with the heavy guns and of half their responsibilities for mobile armament, and the Colonial Defence Committee hope that it will now be found possible to raise this volunteer artillery. If this volunteer corps, however, cannot be raised, it would appear desirable that an increase of the native artillery should be considered, either by an augmentation of the existing establishment, or the formation of a local reserve,

It is presumed that, under existing arrangements, on arrival of the emergency- detachment the men told off to different batteries would displace an equal number of men from the West India Regiment, but this is not stated.

19. Page 25, paragraph 45.—It is observed that no water supply arrangements are proposed for the field-work near Gloucester, and that no instructions are given with regard to, nor working parties provided for, clearing brushwood and making entangle- ments at redoubts, and preparing Congo Town Bridge for defence. These points require further explanation.

20. Page 28, paragraph 48.-Attention is called to paragraph 19 of the Colonial Defence Committee's Remarks No. 150 R. on the subject of tools and hospital equipment.

It would be convenient if the paragraph of the Scheme dealing with ordnance stores were followed by a Table showing all the stores which would be issued by the Army Ordnance Department on mobilization to the different posts occupied. This is only incompletely given in the Table C (ii.) referred to.

Page 28, paragraph 48.—It should be clearly laid down that the Reports from the police stations named in this paragraph are to be sent direct to the Intelligence Officer. It is also most essential that that officer should be in constant communication with the police posts at Port Lokko, Kambia, Karene, and other places near the frontier, and that he should organize a service of spies to bring information across the frontier.

It

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